The 2026 Senedd election comes at a pivotal time for babies, children, and young people in Wales. Having faced many challenges in recent years, children and their families remain positive about their future and want to see a government that can match their enthusiasm and passion for what their lives could be.
Barnardo’s, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and Place2Be urge members to support new clause 462, tabled by Baroness Tyler of Enfield, to guarantee children have access to mental health support in school.
This briefing sets out six essential components for an effective Child Poverty Strategy and identifies where gaps remain following recent government announcements
The continued impact of the pandemic followed by the cost-of-living crisis and growing levels of child poverty has impacted children’s health outcomes.
Food is vitally important for young people, supporting their growth, health and wellbeing. Despite this, 1 in 5 young people in the UK are in families that have struggled to access or pay for food.
Parliamentary briefing
Advocacy, Children’s Rights & ParticipationChild poverty and inequalityHealth
Too many young people find it difficult to get the food they need in the places they live; almost 1 in 4 (23%) of the 42,000 young people who shared their views in recent research we conducted with VotesforSchools said they were unable to access healthy food in their community.
Investment in a family hub in every community is a significant ask at a time when funding is in short supply, and while the government’s recent spending review recognized the importance of these services it did not pledge any additional funds for their development. However, by investing strategically in effective early intervention and prevention, we believe the government can achieve better outcomes for children.
Barnardo’s believes that all children arriving in the UK deserve a warm welcome, including having both their physical and emotional needs met. Children need to be believed, respected and treated with dignity. This helps them rebuild their
lives and establish new homes, friendships and communities.
Parliamentary briefing
Refugee and asylum seekers
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